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Café du Parc

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Overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue and offering views of the Capitol portico and Washington Monument, Café du Parc is a welcome respite for weary walkers leaving the National Mall. Aside from a few snack outposts, there's little to eat among our nation's monuments and museums, and Café du Parc appears like an oasis just a block away. In the spring and summer, grab an outdoor table for French bistro dining alfresco with some of the best vistas in Washington.

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Our Inspector's Highlights

• The best tables are outside at Café du Parc, especially if you’re there in springtime. Grab a table outside on Pennsylvania Avenue to enjoy blooming cherry blossoms, spring breezes, and people-watching as tourists come from the nearby National Mall and Hill workers head home or to happy hour.

• It's French, and you can eat en plein aire — it's about as romantic as a restaurant can be without candlelight at Café du Parc.

• If you’re pressed for time, the servers are friendly and fast. But if you have questions about some of chef Antoine Westermann’s dishes inspired by the classic French cuisine de grand-mère, they’re happy to take the time to answer.

• People-watching is always a great pastime in Washington, D.C., since the capital attracts visitors from all over the world. From your table at the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended restaurant, you'll also enjoy views of the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the often-overlooked executive branch office building.

Things to Know

• It’s a rare culinary oasis near the National Mall. At Willard InterContinental, you're just a block from the National Mall and the Smithsonian — great attractions, but there's little food in the area save a snack shack or two. The blue awnings of Café du Parc are like a desert oasis to weary travelers weak from a day of sightseeing — and as such, the restaurant is often crowded.

• More good news for tourists: Café du Parc's children's menu gives kids a taste of grown-up options rather than hewing to standard fare like chicken fingers. Breakfast includes such options as banana pancakes and Belgian waffles.

• Those on a budget can enjoy breakfast for just $5.50 with a bowl of Irish oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, but most will be tempted to spend more. Two eggs any style are $11.95, but the plate includes bacon, ham, or sausage with toast, potatoes, and a fresh, unexpected salad of mixed greens on the side.

• Chef Antoine Westermann was the chef at the award-winning Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, France. But the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended restaurant's menu isn't stuffy: Westermann favors slow-cooked recipes that mimic "grandmother's cooking," and fills the menu with delicious offerings ranging from French onion soup to seasonal favorites like the sous vide-braised pork shank flavored with lemon and fennel.

• Delicious French-inspired cocktails grace the drink menu. Le Bar at Café du Parc features classic cocktails like mint juleps and manhattans, but it also includes seasonally changing French favorites.

The Food

• Sharing one of the exquisite desserts at the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended restaurant is sure to induce a warm glow. Satisfy your chocolate craving with the indulgent tarte au chocolat, a warm chocolate tart crowned with chocolate sorbet and an orange reduction.

• The French onion soup is not your average — chef Antoine Westermann had a highly acclaimed tenure at Le Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, France.

• One of the best parts of visiting France is eating the ethereal and buttery croissants. You’ll find them here, along with fresh brioche and almond crossiants, served with illy coffee.

• Creating a country pork pâté or rillettes is an art, and Westermann shows off his skills on the Assiette de Cochonailles, which is rounded out with prosciutto ham, salami and pickled vegetables.

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